Deal-breaking peeves, insulting commercials dissed

AGUSTIN AND MAGDANGAL. Older—and better.

Last month, TV commercials were discussed at a media forum, and the consensus was that, while they were merited to make “free TV” viewing possible, there could be too many of them, more than the prescribed legal limit per telecasting hour.

Too bad, zealous minute counters like the late Paul Mortel are no longer around to make TV channels toe the line, so other watchdogs should take over this essential task.

In addition, students at the forum complained about some spots that they felt insulted their intelligence by making impossible claims. Whatever happened to Truth in Advertising, and what are the self-regulatory boards doing about this?

Singled out for “special mention” are commercials “tailor-made” for airing on popular shows like “Be Careful With My Heart” and “Hawak-Kamay,” some of the stars of which figure in spots for detergents, food products, seasonings, etc. Viewers protest that this makes it difficult for them to separate entertainment fantasy from commercial reality. Keep the two separate, they testily urge.

Room for improvement

There’s always room for improvement, so some stars and starlets are earnestly advised to do better work, so that viewers feel that their patience and patronage are not being taken for granted.

For instance, both Zaijian Jaranilla and Liza Soberano are being rapped for their less than perfectly clear diction and enunciation, which they should “iron out” so that they don’t end up distracting viewers and listeners from their otherwise acceptable portrayals.

Elsewhere, it looks like we aren’t the only ones who think that Marian Rivera’s dance show is too laid-back and even lethargic to be taken seriously as a “dance diva” showcase.

Some other viewers have been reacting with similar disappointment, so it’s time for Marian to really hustle—and dance for her stellar life!

Similarly, some viewers agree with us that the imminent reunion of the popular performing team of Marvin Agustin and Jolina Magdangal is a “should see” for their loyal fans, because Jolina and Marvin have matured nicely through the years, and are even better performers now than they were in their heyday.

When some other love teams make their comeback, they just look like older versions of their once fave selves—but, Jolens and Marvin aren’t only older, they’re better!